JohnBS

Doug72, Thanks greatly for that tip - I've only had my iPad for six years so I am still learning!! John

Well, it seems like a common problem - I'm not completely alone. On my iPad, there isn't a Refresh button so that option isn't available. However, I can go directly to other pages, provided that the page numbers are visible. That's fine for some threads but others are a problem. Speculation 2017, for example, only lists pages 1,2,3,4 and 26 so I can never get to page 20. Please can this be sorted, also please return the Next Unread Post button. Best wishes, John

I'm sure that this is in the wrong place but I have only come across these problems in the Technic forum. On the earlier website, I could easily navigate to the "Next unread Post" and could go to NEXT, PREV or any numbered page. On th current site (on my iPad) there appears to be no "Next unread Post" facility and, when I hit the NEXT, PREV or specific page button, the screen greys out and hangs. What is going wrong? John

Hi Seasider, I suggest that you look up the instructions for set 8043 (excavator) and set 42042 (crane). Both have well designed crawler chassis and it is no problem modifying them to have chassis-mounted and independently controlled motors (L or XL). I have made both, with these modifications. You may want to gear down the motors slightly (12/20). There are posts on this forum which document the necessary mods. Hope that this helps. John

Also see Blakbird's Technopedia John

Buddy, There are no instructions or parts list for the Galloping Horse. I (and other people) have successfully reverse engineered it from Touthomme's excellent video. It is a wonderful model, well worth the effort. All the parts are fairly readily available in white but some of them are not available at all in brown and many of the others are rare/expensive. The hooves (55095) are only available in white or black. Good luck, John

Miguev, A few suggestions (I haven't got the EB post numbers so you will have to use the index): Toutehomme's (Jason Alleman's) Galloping horse, Sisyphus and many others, including his new Lego Ideas Maze. John

Build it! Then it is worth looking at the instructions for the Ultimate 42009 by Jurgen Krooshop. They are available on line as a .pdf, free of charge and are excellent. He includes a list of the extra parts that you will need, which are available from BrickOwl or BrickLink and direct from Lego for motors, etc. Once you've collected all of the parts, take the original apart and build the Ultimate version. Both are great builds, with subtle difference, and you will have learnt a lot. Best wishes, John

A couple of points occur to me:- First, price. I think that the best information we have is that the finished model will be in Lava Orange (great from my point of view). If so, all the visible bits will be in a new colour for Lego so that would explain a higher unit price per part. Second, RC. If drive and steering are to be RC (my preferred scenario) the centre red shifter must be something that isolates the gearbox from the power train. This would permit vrooming with the flappy paddles. As many have said, to try and drive this size vehicle through even a 4-speed gearbox would be impossible, whatever motors were used. However, a direct drive (not through the gearbox) from coupled XL or L motors would then be a practical option. What do you think? John

Doug, That looks brilliant and works very well. I have a particular affection for the Toplis system, living within 15 miles of the late Stothert and Pitt's works in Bath. In due course, I look forward to seeing progress on the "horse's head" version - will it rival DevSod's hammer crane ? BTW, next time I will try and load Flickr via my desktop and not with the iPad - then at least the menus may appear as in the tutorial. Congratulations, John

Link to flickr photos https://flic.kr/s/aHsksW61dt Doug, I'm sure that the link to these photos will not work - my first try at uploading from Flickr and got horribly stuck - but here's hoping. You've probably come across this before but here is a set of pics of a "horse's head" level luffing crane in Lego that I made as a proof of concept rough for TC8 but didn't pursue (too many parts in DBG required). You can see that the jib end stays fairly level throughout its travel, with a slight flick up at the maximum extent and a slight droop when it is at the minimum. The dimensions are fairly critical so you would have ti count studs/holes and enlarge to suit your scale. My information came from Wikipedia "Level luffing crane" which includes a photo and animated diagram I very much like your MOC and hope that this might help. Best wishes, John

OMR, Thanks for the rapid and helpful response - parts are now on order from BrickOwl. John

Jason, I think that I now have all the parts to build this superb model and I have worked out almost all the construction. However, I am not sure of the linkage hidden within the head - how does the triangle connect to the lower jaw/neck? I have tried a simple 3x1 left arm, also a pair of 3x3x0.5 lift arms but neither replicate the movement shown in your video. Can you please help me with a photo or drawing? Best wishes, John

Kevin, I have just finished building my Christmas/New Year project, your Fork Lift Mk II. I was tremendously impressed by the density and robustness of the mechanics and by the superb quality of the building instructions - a brilliant design and terrific engineering. Thank you very much; it was the most satisfying build that I have made. Best wishes, John Hi, I have just finished Kevin's Fork Lift - terrific MOC - and would like to add the LPG tank as on your MOD. How did you make and attach it? John

Hi everyone, I've today received the last two pieces for this MOC that I ordered from BrickOwl - just in time for Christmas!! I'm really looking forward to getting started and was delighted to read Blakbird's mini review of the model. To me, it looks terrific. More later. Season's greetings, John

Jason, I've just about managed to reverse engineer your fabulous Galloping Horse and have raided all my boxes to build a one-legged trial version in "colour vomit" parts. So at the moment, it is a Hopping Horse ! I have managed to include a small battery box and an M-motor in the base and I've modified the connection to the column. Now pretty well all the right colour parts are on order so I'm looking forward to a New Year project. Seasons greetings, John

Paul, More probably a twelve year old from Tel Aviv who likes primitive computer games and has a command of English obscenities but no other attributes - check out his YT postings. As such, to be totally ignored. John

Pavel, Of course, you are under no obligation to sell anything and anyone capable of emailing such a diatribe is someone I would want to totally avoid. I think that all you can do is reply with a clear NO in the first instance, then not respond at all to any future correspondence. To argue only encourages them !! I remain greatly inspired by your superb books and your many helpful instructions and videos. Don't let the b*****ds grind you down ! Very best wishes and my total support, John

Jason, Sorry, just seen that you've already done a galloping horse !! John

A superb bit of modelling, excellent mechanicals and smooth operation. It reminds me of the Muybridge photo sequences - perhaps you should have a go at his walking/trotting/cantering/galloping horse or maybe the running man. Lovely stuff. John

@AOW I used 3% hydrogen peroxide on the yellowed "white" parts of 8880, with success - just washed them in the solution then rinsed in plain water an hour or so later and they came out as white as a sheet. Try a slightly stronger solution. John

Hi everyone, Has anyone successfully PF motorised 8285 - breakdown tow truck? John

Yes, no problem in adding the spare ("load") boom section, or in fact making further sections, though you will need longer string for the hoist cable. John

2 : 4 4 : 3 5 : 2 6 : 10 16 : 6 9 : 1

So when did my "Dark Age" begin? Over the years, we had acquired a considerable amount of Lego - four larger storage boxes of parts and a copious set of instructions. Back in 1989, I bought the 8862 Backhoe, "for the kids" and spent a happy Christmas building it myself - a great experience. Then the kids moved on to computers and video games and left home for Uni so I no longer had the excuse for buying more Lego. Last year, while Googling around, I bumped into the brand new 42030 Volvo wheel-loader, bought it and was hooked by the sophistication of it all - although 8862 was state-of-the-art at the time, how things have changed in twenty five years! Since then, I have become an avid builder, buying the following: 42009 Mobile Crane (Jurgens Kroonshop's Ultimate version) 8043 Excavator (MOD) 8275 Bulldozer (MOD) ---- Articulated hauler (Jurgens' MOC) ---- Truck and gooseneck trailer (Jurgens' truck, hybrid trailer with Ingmar Spijkhoven) 8880 Supercar And finally, 42042 Crawler crane. Currently I am working on a "proof of concept" mock-up for a level-luffing dock crane (the geometry is complex!) but I'm much too slow to participate in TC8. Who knows, one day I may manage an MOC of my own. Best wishes, John